Russian City Braces For Arrival Of Toxic Spill

[FVZA_Colonel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051201/ap_on_re_eu/russia_bracing_for_the_spill



Russian City Braces for Spill's Arrival
By BURT HERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Dec 1, 1:29 PM ET

KHABAROVSK, Russia - From the gleaming golden domes of the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the Far East, the prayers pour out: Please save our children from harm from the toxic spill headed this way down the Amur River.

Residents and officials across Russia's hard-scrabble eastern region were bracing for the arrival of a slick of cancer-causing benzene that seeped into waters upriver after a Nov. 13 explosion at a chemical plant in China.

Regional experts say the spill should reach Russia by Dec. 11, give or take a couple of days. It will take about four more days to get to Khabarovsk, 125 miles from the point where China's Songhua River joins the Amur.

The people of Khabarovsk — the largest Russian city in the slick's path, with some 580,000 residents — wondered Thursday how long they'll have to go without running water once the spill arrives.

[Sir_Snooze]

1. All this from our whoopie cushions

You why that's happening? Children about to die a horrible death by benzene?

Because corporations have enslaved the PRoC into making us unnecessary trash that we still buy (stupidly). They put no safeties on any of their factories, so a spill is "tough beans, China" to the companies.

Who can stop this? We can. Don't buy lawn care stuff (fertilizers, pesticides,) because there's no need to have a lawn. Don't buy anything that has benzene in it, or uses benzene in it's production.

No, let's further this. Nothing that was made with toxic materials is to be bought. Let's bleed these companies into understanding that people are people, and their safety at work comes before anything else. Including profit.

[Angry Girl]

2. How long before the same happens here? Plans for Solar Water Stills!

Hey, with this highly ethical administration, I wouldn't be surprised if it had already happened here but was covered up.

My project for January 2006: Build my own solar water still!
Simple, cheap, effective, and safe!

Solar Water Plant - (Still & Pump)
http://www3.telus.net/farallon/

Solar Water Distillation - Stills
http://www.txses.org/epsea/stills.html

High-capacity solar water still
http://www.davesplanet.net/solarstill

Solar Water Distiller
http://www.bagelhole.org/article.php/Water/267/

Solar Water Distillation
http://members.cox.net/ahicks51/osp/Technical_Data/solar_water/solar_water.html

Solar Stills
http://www.geda.org.in/solar/so_slr_still.htm

Solar Stills
http://www.tuffydog.com/solarstills.html

EPSEA Solar Water Purification Project
http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/distiller.html

Water Tips, Projects, How-Tos
http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/watercon.htm

Water Wiser Solar Stills
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/2002_August_September/Water_Wiser_Solar_Stills

EMERGENCY DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES
http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/programs/extension/publicat/wqwm/emergwatersuppl.html

[RufusEarl]

3. Thanks for the links

[Angry Girl]

5. Any time!

And welcome to DU!

[pop goes the weasel]

4. and these will remove benzene?

Sort of info overload, so if you could point out where I can see what chemicals could be removed, I'd appreicate it.

[Angry Girl]

7. Sorry about that - Here's the scoop about benzene etc.

No, a solar stil can't get benzene and some other stuff out of the water (see below) but you won't be using tap water: You'll be distilling the water that you condense out of the air, so benzene won't be a problem.

In other words, with a few hours and $150-$200 (depending on your family's drinking needs), you can build your own solar water still and become independent of the city water supply for your drinking water! A solar water still relies on the moisture in the air.

And sorry about all those links. Many are just minor variations on a basic solar still....

The info below on benzene and other VOCs is from the page http://www.solarsolutions.info/faq/faqright.html
but it redirects, so hit STOP to see it!

Q: Are There Any Contaminants Distillation Will Not Remove?

A: Yes, distillation cannot remove a class of chemicals known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), which evaporate and condense at similar and lower temperatures than water. VOCs include toxic chemicals like crude oil and its derivatives (gasoline, kerosene, diesel, fuel oil, motor oil, etc.); solvents like turpentine and benzene; and other substances like antifreeze (glycol), alcohols, and paint. Many plant poisons (poison oak and ivy for instance) are also VOC. In practice, if source water smells like chemicals or paint, has a shimmery, rainbow-colored substance floating on it, or is a strange color, distillation may not remove the contaminants. In fact, no purification method should be trusted. If the area of contamination is widespread, appropriate authorities should be contacted. Clean up and removal of these kinds of toxic chemicals is not within the range of any consumer-oriented water purification device, but rather serious remediation efforts are required. Also note that care should be exercised if plants are used as a source of fluid for distillation, because if toxic plants are used, the distilled water could be contaminated. Even non-toxic plants may impart a taste to the water, as most substances that we can smell and taste are also (non-toxic) VOC.

Finally, you should be aware that in many instructions for building box-type water stills, the use of silicone sealants is advised. However, there is concern that many of these sealants release VOC over their lifetime that could contaminate the distilled water.

http://www.solarsolutions.info/faq/faqright.html

[donkeyotay]

6. Wonder if this starts an environmental movement in China nt

[brentspeak]

8. Unlikely

The government of China cares only about the products that the Chinese serfs make, not about the serfs themselves.

[cire4]

11. An environmental movement already exists in China...

There are plenty of public interest groups in China representing environmental issues. The problem is that they have about as much success as American environmental groups. Just like in the "democratic" United States, business interests always get priority.

[lindisfarne]

9. Is there not some material that can absorb at least some of the spill?

I find it hard to believe that at least a significant portion of the spill could not have been absorbed very early on. Or at any point since.

[President Kerry]

10. when you are talking about a deadly spill in a major river, unlikely..

Khabarovsk is close to my town of birth. It's terrible. Especially the anticipation. I hope this stuff doesn't hang around for long.